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Sunday, 7 December 2014

No Decision to Introduce DAB+ in Sweden

DAB lobby slanting facts about digital radio proposal.

Last week a proposal for a transition from FM to DAB+ in 2016-2024 was presented to the Swedish government. Information about his has now been slanted by DAB promoters as a decision by the Swedish government for a “roadmap” to a digital-only future. The announcements from Sweden and Switzerland send a clear statement that the future of radio is digital, claims Patrick Hannon, president of the EBU connected lobby organization WorldDMB. However, the Swedish government has not taken any kind of decision regarding digital radio. The former center-right government commissioned a "digital radio coordinator" and she has now presented a proposal for a roadmap.

The present red-green government is not bound to take the case further and has not yet made any decisions including any preparation for a proposal to the Parliament next autumn. If the government will move this further it will as earlier stated in the Parliament 2013 look into other aspects as the consumer position and if DAB+ is the choice of system.

The politicians will also have to wait until March 2015 for the National Audit Office review on public involvement in the DAB introduction process since 1995. The National Audit is especially questioning if the taxpayers will get their moneys' worth. Will it be efficient to construct a new infrastructure for radio?

The proposal to introduce DAB+ has been met with heavy opposition in news media and on social media. Support has only come from the DAB promoters as the public service company, the to major commercial companies and the broadcast provider Teracom. Yesterday two national motor car organizations criticized the proposal for "forgetting the motorists". Millions of cars will still have FM radio only in ten years from now